Hard Question!! Consider the circle of radius 5 centered at (0,0). ?

Question

Find an equation of the line tangent to the circle at the point (3,4)

Can ANYONE answer this?

Please explain if you can!

Answer 1

i the circle has the point 3,4

the radius is 5....

3 - 4 - 5 triangle

the slope of the line has to be inverse to the slope of the radius to the point of 3,4

sorry i dont know how to do the rest and i have no time to work it out.. bye

the slope would be something like 3x/4    so the tangent line has to be -4x/3  

just make sure that this line goes through the point 3/4....

Answer 2

You have the equation for the function that is perpendicular to the tangent to be 4x/3, the inverse of the equation is -3x/4, now to find the y-intercept you simply put in (3(3))/4) + 4. Simple

Answer 3

The equation for the circle is

x^2 + y^2 = 25

Let's call A the point (3,4)

Find the slope of line OA

Deduce the slope of the tangent at A (the tangent is perpendicular to the radius at A)

Knowing the slope and one point on the tangent you can write its equation.